C1 — advancedculture35 words
Proverbs & sayings
| Serbian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kȍ rȁno rȁnī, dvȇ srȅće grȁbī | the early bird catches the worm (literally ‘grabs two lots of luck’) |
| Bez mȕke néma nàuke | no pain no gain (literally ‘no learning without toil’) |
| Vȗk dlȁku mȇnjā, àli ćȗd nȉkada | a leopard can’t change its spots (literally ‘a wolf changes its coat’) |
| Bȍlje vrábac u rúci nȅgo gȍlūb na gráni | a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush |
| Kȍ drȕgome jȁmu kȍpā, sam u njȗ ùpadā | he who digs a pit for another falls into it himself (also … sam u nju pada) |
| Bȍlje ȉkad nȅgo nȉkad | better late than never (literally ‘better ever than never’) |
| Nȉje zlȃto svȅ štȍ sȉjā | all that glitters is not gold |
| Tȉha vòda brȇg rȍnī | still waters run deep (literally ‘quiet water wears away the bank’) |
| U láži su krátke nȍge | the truth will out, lies have short legs |
| Bȍlje spréčiti nȅgo léčiti | prevention is better than cure |
| Ȉver ne pȁdā dalèko od klȁde | the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block |
| Kȍ pítā, ne skítā | he who asks does not go astray |
| Stȏ ljúdi, stȏ ćúdi | it takes all sorts (literally ‘a hundred people, a hundred tempers’) |
| Nȁvika je drȕgā príroda | habit is second nature |
| Gdȅ ȉmā dȉma, ȉmā i vȁtre | there’s no smoke without fire, where there’s smoke there’s fire |
| Svȁka ptȉca svȍme jȁtu lètī | birds of a feather flock together (literally ‘every bird to its flock’) |
| Ne tŕči pred rȕdu | don’t get ahead of yourself, don’t jump the gun |
| Bȍlje ȉšta nȅgo nȉšta | something is better than nothing, half a loaf is better than none |
| Poklònjenōm kònju se u zȗbe ne glȅdā | do not look a gift horse in the mouth |
| Kȍ se pòslednjī smèjē, nȃjslađe se smèjē | he who laughs last laughs longest (literally ‘laughs sweetest’) |
| Ponávljānje je mȃjka znánja | repetition is the mother of learning, practice makes perfect |
| Čȉst ràčūn, dȕga ljúbav | short reckonings make long friends |
| Kàkav òtac, tàkav sȋn | “like father, like son” |
| Stȑpljen, spášen | patience pays, patience will see you through |
| Nèsreća nȉkad ne dòlazī sáma | misfortunes never come singly, it never rains but it pours |
| Pȑvo skòči pa rèci hȍp | don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched |
| Kȍ čȅkā, dòčekā | good things come to those who wait |
| Kȍ lȁžē, tȃj i krȁdē | he who lies also steals |
| Jèdna lȁsta ne čìnī pròleće | one swallow does not make a summer (literally ‘…a spring’) |
| Mnȍgo bȃbā, kȉlavo déte | too many cooks spoil the broth (literally ‘too many midwives’) |
| Kȁd na vŕbi ròdī grȏžđe | when pigs fly (literally ‘when grapes grow on the willow’) |
| Kȁko dòšlo, tàkō pròšlo | “easy come, easy go” |
| Ni po bȁbu ni po strȉčevima | without fear or favour, impartially |
| Rúka rȗku mȉjē | one hand washes the other, you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours |
| Ćútānje je zlȃto | silence is golden |
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